To be human is to be multifaceted. It is to be social, a politician, religious, an atheist, a producer, a creator, a citizen, and a consumer.To be human is a condition and not a state.For centuries, we humans have been studied in all our many facets. Various sciences have been deeply devoted to understanding humans in […]
If you’ve ever been in the back room observing consumer research focus group discussions or individual interviews you’re familiar with the scene: laptops open, everyone typing or writing. And we won’t even mention the email they’re replying to and conversations they’re having. Are they paying attention to what’s going on out there? Maybe. But even […]
What is a Brand? It’s not that pyramid, circle or tower chart that has all the boxes filled in. No, it’s not a marketing document. The brand is what customers think it is. Yep, perception is reality. Don’t get me wrong. It’s certainly a good idea to know what you want the brand to be. […]
Not all products connect with people as brands. They don’t stand for anything. That is, they don’t provide any cues to the buyer about who they are. Yes, we humans relate to human characteristics even in brands.The first step to making a product a brand is to examine each of your competitors in terms of […]
I have talked to thousands of people in qualitative research over the years and this truth has always stuck out to me…when people say they “try” to do something it essentially means they don’t do it but would certainly like to think about themselves as someone who would do it.”I try to work out 3 […]
There’s not much more enjoyable on a Saturday morning than drinking coffee and reading the WSJ Weekend Edition. Appropriately last week, I was attracted to a description of a new coffee brewing system showcased in their “Fall’s 50 Best” feature. It was perfect timing as I’ve been thinking about raising my coffee game at home. […]
Have you ever asked yourself the question? Have you ever surprised yourself by something you thought or did? Do you really know who you are?
Of course, we know our names, our histories and our preferences. And is that all that really makes who we are?
You’ve done qualitative research to get insights into your consumers. Maybe you went into their homes or you did focus groups to talk about what’s wrong with the category and what they wish for. You’ve got shopper insights that reveal how they act when they’re in the store. Your R&D department has even created products […]
It’s a widely held attitude that focus groups are for “hearing from the consumer” and the “results” of the groups determine how to proceed with marketing. Well, sort of Actually the marketing team itself has the responsibility of doing the marketing. They’re the ones who decide how to move forward, not the consumer. Conversations with […]
The most powerful brands connect with people like religions do. They have a belief system people want to be part of. They draw people to them. They provide an identity people want to adopt as their own.The thing is, not all brands become religions. Not all brands have that important something that makes people want […]
